Carlos Hazday

You're pretty darn good at figuring out what's coming and I'm glad I was able to spring Patrick on you. Even if at one point you may have thought about it. After the initial hints I played a balancing game trying not to give away what was coming while still wanting to show Patrick standing just a bit away from the Squad. You're right the priest molesting him would have been too much LOL Coming out's a big deal no matter how easy it may seem some can do it. It's a decision affecting not only that person but the ones around them too. Even though I hold different views, for some like Patrick their faith is important and I wanted to make sure not all Squad members were heathens like the author.

Thanks, Tony. CJ was precocious from the moment I introduced him, I think Ozzie provides a nice balance and the fact he's a few years older has a lot to do with it. Having grown up in the 'country' instead of a big city may also be a factor. He's a good foil for his boyfriend who can be a bit pushy at times LOL Hang in there, bud. Two more months before the season finale in June!

Considering how I sometimes rush things, for some reason I'm not ready for Brett to be called Brett. Cesar usually says Jarhead and Harley and Ritchie refer to him as Cap. Ozzie I think uses Captain almost the same way. After two years having the older guys around, Patrick will be alone at Walls for the next two. The timing seemed right for him to come out since he has to fly solo after his 'brothers' graduate. I mentioned in a status update this week how my niece has already signed up for the Gay Straight alliance even before she starts her freshman year in college. I'm certain her decision was partially based on having an openly gy uncle but it's also a sign of how things have changed since you and I were that age. Further proof the more of us who take a stand and come out the more things improve for the GLBT community!

LMAO! I could always send them to Melbourne! I'm pretty sure that's where the Nature Conservancy has their headquarters in Australia! Good wine regions in Victoria!

It took me about half-a-million words to get Patrick to come out and I wanted the actual revelation to dominate the chapter without getting all angsty. I try to balance out high drama with everyday events and I'm glad you liked this chapter. I wanted to show different sides of CJ and how he keeps growin and maturing. Using a TV appearance and his attire concerns gave me the chance to show he's not the t-shirt and flip flops kid we met two years before. He can still act the part of a kid but his life experiences help define his actions.

LOL- They want to go someplace new. I wanted CJ to travel a lot but he seems to be stuck in a triangle between Miami, DC, and New York. Time to explore new grounds. More details next week.

Thank you. I get my award every week when readers like a chapter and comment on it. Ozzie has several options we'll explore in future chapters. The qustion is also what will CJ do when his boyfriend graduates from law school. I could use a couple of weeks in Australia exploring and researching in case he decided to move to Sydney! Sorry, @Bucket1 but I don't think Perth would be the right place for him

Patrick will be okay at Walls. Aside from a supportive principal, CJ blazed a trail he can follow. Sometimes what we do affects those who come after us and I think this is one of those cases. Patrick's religious beliefs may cause him some anxiety but he does have an incredible support system to back him up.

There's Thiago too! Since he graduated a year early he hasn't been around as much as the other guys but in the future he'll get as much airtime as the other guys. Kitt told me the same thing about Patrick, she knew. I dropped some faint hints when he was introduced and always tried to keep him one step away from full integration in the Squad waiting for this moment. I think the kid will be fine from now on.

I wasn't as lucky as CJ when I was in college, I had to work since I didn't have a trust fund LOL Anyway, I was involved in several things and figured CJ could handle even more since he doesn't have to worry about money the way most of us did.

Morning, Dave. Considering the time difference I'm glad to see I'm not the only one awake before the sun rises LOL I'm not sure if an army of CJs could have changed the election's outcome. HRC and Mook mismanaged too many opportunities and Trump's bluster appealed to too many. I have a feeling the 2020 election's going to be a blood bath. Not a lot more political commentary in the remaining chapters but I'll expand on CJ's involvement in the next book. CJ came out wearing a rainbow flag t-shirt in front of the entire Walls student body, I wanted a different type of experience here, more in line to what happens in real life. A quiet conversation between friends seemed like the right way for Patrick to do it.

Spring break at George Mason Law School, Sidwell Friends School, and School Without Walls High School fell on different weeks in March. It meant CJ would not be taking any long trips with his boyfriend or brother this year. The law school’s vacation was first and Owen ended up spending a lot of time with Brett. “Thanks for inviting me, Captain.” Owen retrieved the ticket Brett handed him before they left Georgetown and held it out for the Verizon Center’s attendant to scan. “My pleasur

I'll have you know the last chapter started with “CJ!” was the October 2015 one. DId you miss the ones in between? LOL Ritchie's an Abello in every way except for the last name!

Flash fiction can be a rewarding challenge. I wrote a bunch of them under the Trooper Tales banner and loved the reaction to the puns and innuendos I wrote around the adventures of Colorado State Trooper Drew Espinosa. I think my shortest prompt response was less than 10 words and it still told a story.

You may need to describe who the two characters from the CJ series I mentioned... Forgot to tell him I have a Michael of my own, who resembles him. Just a different relationship!

I sent him a message.

I need to have a chat with a certain Canadian cop...

You're a good boy!

Thank you, kind sir!

Well, well, well... Quite an unexpected treat to find you've decided to tackle Walls. Although I've shown disagreements in the past, this was the first time I had Brett and Cesar go at it. I've tried to write an uplifting, feel-good story with the family always facing outside challenges but felt it was right to show a 'perfect' couble show discord. It's happened before but never 'on camera.' I won't drag it out and we can assume things settled down but it was important readers realize even the best of matches now and then hit a bump on the road. Thanks, tim!

Lovely story, thank you. Although I had to wipe tears away while reading the last few chapters, few were spilled out of sadness. This feel-good story nips at your emotions and the characters quickly worm their way into your heart. The tale is grounded in the traditions of Australia's first inhabitants which at the time of the story no longer take second place to European influences. Frequent descriptions of the unique flora and fauna of the continent help inmerse the reader in the magical environment the protagonists move around in. A classic nerd/jock relationship is given a fresh twist with both main characters facing challenges due to their disabilities. Their interaction advances the story but what i enjoyed most was watchin them overcome their challenges and triumph against all those aligned agaisnt them. A prequel to Attunga, Mparntwe provides background on the emergence of artificial intelligences and the development oftheir working relationship with humans. Thankfully, the author doesn't overwhelm us with the science behind the technology. Instead, he focuses on relationships and the growing connection between AI # 1 and the two boys who work with it. I like the almost terse prose the author employs. Some of the jumps in time felt abrupt and at times disconcerting. At times it was difficult to figure out who the speaker was and I would suggest better speech tags. The story could also benefit from a final beta reading to eliminate a few typographical errors. All that said, Mparntwe is a nice read which celebrates the triumph of the human spirit. I recommend it for whenever you want an uplifting tale.

Honest answer: Landon was created for a purpose, he served it, and was relegated to the dustbin. I wanted CJ to interact with someone his age while being surrounded most of the time by his dad's' friends. He was also a stepping stone to CJ's practical sex education. Fictional answer: Landon went back home and he and CJ kept in touch for a while. His brother graduated from med school but Landon didn't make it to the ceremony. He eventually told CJ he'd met a guy who was now his boyfriend. Landon and CJ remain friends on Facebook and trade birthday and Christmas greetings.

You asked about Landon in your initial comment, did you mean the guy CJ befriended in Summer?

@Reader1810 Now I'm going to be singing the refrain all day! One of these days I'll return to the outline I have for this story. I like the characters and they deserve a little more air time.